Tension device for casement windows



Aug. 7, 1923.

1T. IE. WALKER TENSION DEVICE FOR GASEMENT WINDOWS Filed Dec. 1 1921 dit Patented Aue'. 7, 1923.

UNITE@ STATES P AT s THOMAS E. WALKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CRITTALL CASEMENT WINDOW CO., 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

TENSION DEVICE FOR CASEMENT WINDOWS.

Application iled December 1, 1921. Serial No. 519,051.

To all fui/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'Ir-roMAs E. WALKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tension Devices for Casement Windows, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In my Patent No. 1,382,578, granted June 21, 1921, there is disclosed a window or frame and sash construction which includes a metallic channel frame, a transverse hinge member having angular ends slidable in said frame, a sash hinged to said transverse hinge member, and springs interposed between the side rails of the sash and the side rails of the frame. The springs engage wear plates within the channel rails of the frame and the tension of the springs may be increased or decreased, by tightening or loosening screws, so that there is a proper and uniform sliding contact between the sash and the frame for holding the sash in any position to which it may be raised. The compression springs are comparatively flat and the manner of mounting the springs necessitated considerable labor and some skill in order to equally regulate the tension of the springs at both sides of the sash, so as to prevent one side from binding more than the other. Then again7 constant use necessitated regulating the tension of the springs from time to time and at each side of the frame there is only one surface engaged by the spring, consequently it was necessary to use a comparatively stiff spring in order that the sash might be held in an adjusted position.

This invention relates to ten-sion or takeup devices that are easier to install and more positive in their operation than the springs disclosed in my prior patent. Instead of using flat springs in connection with single contact surfaces, I now use coiled compression springs in connection with opposed compression members and the compression members are arranged to engage two contact surfaces and provide a more binding and more positive device for holding a sash to a shifted position. It is unnecessary to regulate the tension of the device which I now employ and when once installed the devices will automatically compensate for wear and at all times insure a positive frictional contact between the sash supporting means and the frame of a window.

Other advantages are gained which will appear as the invention is hereinafter described, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical fragmentary trans verse sectional view of a window frame and sash showing the hinge member of the sash provided with a tension device in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the same taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line III- III of Fig. l;

Fig. t -shows views of modified forms of compression members;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a transverse hinge member relative to a portion of the frame which is shown in section, and

Fig. 6 shows detail views of modified forms of compression members.

In the drawing the reference numerals 1 denote the channel side rails of a frame and suitably mounted in the channels of said rails are channel wear members 2.

Slidable in the channel wear members 2 are angular ends or heads 3 of a transverse hinge member 4t and hingedly connected to this member is the upper rail 5 of a sash 6, said sash having side rails 7 adapted to engage the side rails 1 of the frame.

The upper ends of the heads 3 have cam members 8 which insure proper closing of an upper sash (not shown). The lower ends of the heads 3 are identical in construction, so I deem it only necessary to describe the lower end of one head with special reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

rIhe lower end of the head 3 has its outer -face provided with a seat 9 for the upper end of a retaining member 10, said retaining member having its upper end secured on the seat by screws 11 or other fastening means and the loweriend of the retaining member is inturned into the wear member 2 to provide a support 12 for opposed compression members 13.- and 14;. These members have the upper ends thereof loose on seats 15 provided therefor in the side walls of the head 3 and the lower ends of the members are inturned, as at 16, so as to provide a substantial footing or base for said members on the support .12. The compression members 13 normally contact with the side walls 17 of the wear member 2 and to maintain this frictional contact coiled expansion springs 18 are interposed between the members 13 and 14.

Separating the coiled expansion springs 1S are overlapping inbent portions 19 and spaced inbent portions 2O ot the compression members 13 and 11i, said inbent portions providing compartments for the compression springs 18. The inbentA portions 19 and 20 o1 the members 13 and lei are located so that some of the inbent portions will simply provide partitions between the springs 18 and other inbent'portions 0il the member 18 engage inbent portions ot the member 14:, these overlapping or contacting inbent portions serving as guides during any shitting ot the compression members. lilith the compression members placed in a channel or wear member 2 the retaining` member 10 will cooperate with theychannel wear member in providing an enclosure for said compression members and the expansion springs therebetween, so that there is a complete housing at the lower end ot the head which prevents accidental displacement of any part ot' the tension device while being` shifted in the channel wear member. TVith the compression members engaging opposite walls of the channel wear member there is a double trietionalv Contact at each side ot the sash compared to the single frictional contact in my prior patent, and since the compression members are long with wide Contact faces it is obvious that there will be a substantial bearing for said compression members against the channel wear member, with equal pressure throughout the length of each compression member.

As shown in Fi". 4L the inbe'nt portions 21 of one compression member may overlap the inbent portions ot the opposed compression member, also that each compression membermay have inbent portions Q2 which simply serve as spacers, without overlapping. Furthermore, instead of each compression member having an inturned lower end just one of the compression members may lhave such an end extending to the other compression members. is a matter ot fact the compression members may have various contigurations by which said members may guide each other when shifted or provide -separate compartments for the expansion springs.

As a further instance of spacing the springs, I show in Fig. 6 opposed members 25 having inturned ends Q6 and pressed out teets or bosses 27 for the end convolutions of j springs 28. The bosses 27 will maintain the springs in spaced relation, against accidental displacement, and with this form of compression members it is unnecessary to provide the seats 15 in the heads 3. The inbent ends 26 will readily ride against the ends of said heads and the support 12 when said members are shifted.

IV hen the transverse hinge member 4E is shifted in the rails I of the window traine, the tension devices at the ends oit lthe member el. will hold said member against aceidental displacement, yet permit of the hinged member being` manually shifted when occasion requires.

1While in the drawings there are illustrated the preferred embodiments ol my invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modiiications as iall within the scope @t the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a window frame, a sash supporting member that may be adjusted, said member having ends slidable in said `frame, means on the ends of said member engaging walls oit the iframe for holding the sash support ing member in an adjusted position, said means comprising opposed compression members at each end of the sash supporting member, and springsbetween said compression members. Y

2. A. window construction as in claim l, wherein said compression members have a eoniiguration providing separate compartments ior the springs.

3. In a window, the combination of' a iframe, a hinge member having ends slidable in said frame, a sash hinged to said hinge member, means adapted to rietionally hold the ends of said hinge member against aeei dental movement in said trame, said means comprising opposed compression members at each end of said hinge member constantly producing` pressure against front andrear portions ot said frame.

4. Thecombinationcalled i'or in claim 3, and retaining. members carried by the ends ot said hinge member and supporting said `compression members relative thereto.

5. The combination called for in claim 3, wherein said compression members have a contiguration affording compartments, and springs are placed in said compartments to hold said compressionlmembers normally distended.

G. In a window, the combination oit a iframe, a hinge member having ends slidable in said frame, a sash connected to said hinge member, tension devices at the ends of said hinge member, each device comprising a retaining member depending from the end of said hinge member, a compression member supported vby said retaining member and irictionally holding the end of said` hinge member relative to Said frame, and an eX- pansion spring` bearing against said compression member.

7. In a window, the combination of a trame, a hinge member having ends slidable inv said frame, a sash connected to said opposed walls at each side of seid sash and seid compression members have configuretions affording compartments for said springs.

In testimony whereof I tiiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

THOMAS E. WALKER. Witnesses ANNA M. Dorm, KARL H. BUTLER. 

